Course of Analysis

The course of analysis can be viewed in the bottom part of the screen.

An elastic analysis is completed in one computational step. A nonlinear analysis is performed in several steps - the external load is gradually increased in several load (calculation) steps. The analysis is completed successfully if there is no loss of overall convergence so that 100 percent of the required load is reached.

The default setting of parameters that drive the solution analysis is optimized to ensure sufficient accuracy and efficiency of the analysis. Nevertheless, an experienced user may require to change the default setting, or to examine the influence of parameters on the accuracy and course of the analysis. The parameters setting can be adjusted in the "Settings and analysis description" dialog window:

The Percent of the applied load parameter gives percentage of the overall load (excepted value) at the end of the current load step assuming successful convergence for the current load step.

The Step size parameter provides the current scaling factor for the determination of load increment in the current load step.

The Safety factor parameter corresponds to the expected value of the safety factor assuming successful convergence for given parameters c, φ.

The course of iteration within a given load step is characterized by the change of convergence parameters:

η - Line search method parameter

change of the displacement increment norm

change of the out-of-balance force norm

change of internal energy

If all three errors are smaller than the preset error tolerance (can be edited in "Settings" dialog window), the analysis is for the calculation step terminated.

The "Interrupt" button serves to terminate the calculation process. The results are then available for the last load level that complies with the state of equilibrium.